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Gambia: Court Martial orders RETURN of properties

Justice Akomaye Agim, the presiding Judge at the just ended Court Martial,  which took place at Yundum Military Barracks, has said that the court will order for the release of properties of some of the coup plotters allegedly held by the state security agents.

Justice Agim made these remarks in  response to the submission made by Defence Counsel: Lamin Camara, Borry Touray, Lamin Mboge, Lamin Jobarteh and Sainabou Wadda-Ceesay, for the  court to help in recovering the properties of some of the coup plotters which, according to them, are in the custody of the state security agents as earlier requested.
According to the Defence Cousel, properties, ranging from vehicles and other valuables belonging to Captain Bunja Darboe, Captain Yahya Darboe, Captain Wassa Camara and Capain Pierre John Mendy are still in the custody of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and other security agencies .

However, Lamin Camara pointed out that, his client, Captain Bunja Darboe’s  Mercedez Benz was parked at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Headquarters in Banjul.
But, the issue brought a clash between the acting Director of Public Prosecution (DPP ), Emmanuel Fagbenle and Lawyer Lamin Camara.
It all came when the defence stated that the DPP had promised to tackle the issue after the end of the court.
According to DPP Fangbele,  he doubts the credibility of the properties of the accused persons being in the custody of state security agents, especially with National Intelligence Agency (NIA).

This, he went on, is because some of the accused persons were arrested at different locations and under different circumstances, and wondered how the said properties found their way to the above mentioned places. “I had contacted the NIA, but they denied that accused persons’ properties are in their custody,” he said.
He added that when Lawyer Camara  raised the issue with him, he advised him to wait until the completion of the proceedings of the Court Martial.
Justice Agim, in his ruling on the issue, said application for the return of properties of the accused persons is hereby granted.

He added that, the court will make written orders to the Chief of Defence Sfaff (CDS) of the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF), Director- General (DG) of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Director-General (DG) of State Central Prisons and  Inspector-General of the Gambia Police Force (IGP) for the release of properties of the accused persons with immediate effect.